


This Is My Life, Brother

by BeautifulSurgery



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Abuse, Bullying, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, M/M, Recreational Drug Use, Self Harm, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-01-11
Updated: 2014-02-17
Packaged: 2018-01-08 09:25:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 12,023
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1130944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeautifulSurgery/pseuds/BeautifulSurgery
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gamzee has been working at a strip club for a while. He decides that it is time to quit that job and go for a new one. But before he can work there he has to become clean. Karkat pushes him and pushes him to go to get help with his drug abuse. Karkat finally gets him to go and he starts trying to get better.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. ACT 1

Gamzee had walked into his workplace. The strip club on 131st Street in the giant city of New York. He looked around at the outfit that he was supposed to wear on stage. It was disgusting. He hated his job but it put food on the table for him and his brother, Kurloz. Kurloz decided that since Gamzee is the younger of the two, even by about two years, that Gamzee's body is in much better shape for working. Gamzee hated his brother so much because he would just take the money that Gamzee made and spend it on any kind of drugs he could get his hands on. This made Gamzee have to work at the club for longer than he wanted to just to be able to by food and just pay the rent. Gamzee had tried to get jobs but everything that he tried for was declined. One day his boss, Dave, had asked if he wanted to work at a strip club for a certain amount of money each night he worked. Gamzee said yes only because he needed the money so much. Gamzee was desperate. Gamzee had been working here for almost a year and he was going to quit in a month because he was going to start to work at a daycare over the fall and hopefully he would be able to move out of his apartment and into a better one by himself. If that ever happened Gamzee wouldn't know what to do. Gamzee would at least be happy though.  
After his shift Gamzee walked all of the way home in the warm summer air. He had gotten to his apartment and unlocked the door when Kurloz had stepped out of the kitchen chugging a beer and with only his boxers. "Hey Gam, do you have my money yet?" he said taking another swing of his beer.  
"Kur, you ain't going to get any of the money. We need to pay for the apartment so we aren't homeless remember?" Gamzee responded.  
"So what?" he asked Gamzee.  
"We will be out on the streets. We already owe money and I am going to pay for it. All you have to do is keep chugging your beer and shut up. Oh yeah and if you want any pot don't get it out of my room or else I promise to kill you," Gamzee said growling at the older of the two.  
"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry Gamz. We'll be fine if you don't pay for another month."  
"No we won't. Landlord said that we have to pay or else we are going to leave."  
"Well fuck Gamz. Why don't you pay?"  
"That's what I'm going to do," Gamzee said walking into his bedroom and putting the money in a little safe that he had and he locked it after himself. Gamzee walked over to his bed and he got looked under the pillow. That fuck. It was gone. Or did Gamzee leave it in a different place this time? Gamzee didn't know. Gamzee started to look all over for the bag but he couldn't find it. It wasn't anywhere in sight. Gamzee laid down on his bed and cursed under his breath. Gamzee tried to fall asleep but he couldn't. Gamzee walked out into the kitchen and looked in the fridge. He smiled when he found what he was looking for. He took a brownie and a bottle of Faygo. He ate the brownie and started to feel a little bit dizzy. Gamzee smiled as he started to drink the Faygo. He walked into his bedroom and started to go to sleep.  
Meanwhile, in the apartment above of Gamzee's their was a party going on. Of course hosted by Gamzee's best friend Karkat. Gamzee got up from bed and walked upstairs just remembering the party. Gamzee walked right into the apartment and smiled widely as the smell of weed filled his nostrils. Karkat walked up to Gamzee and held him close. "Gamzee I'm so fucking happy that you could come."  
"Yo Karbro, why does it smell so good up in here? I thought that you wouldn't get high?"  
"I don't. I might be a little bit right now but other than that I'm not. It's just that Kurloz insisted on us doing it and crap. But everyone is pretty much high including that fuckass, Sollux, and the big sweaty guy. What is his name? Um, Equator? No, Equius," Karkat said smiling at Gamzee.  
"Love ya, Karbro."  
"Yeah, yeah, hate you too fuckass!" Karkat yelled back at him.  
"C'mon lets just go downstairs and sleep. I'm fucking tired and I have an interview tomorrow for something."  
"Do I have to go?"  
"No, I guess you don't if you don't want to go."  
"Well I don't want to go."  
"Then don't. It's cool bro," Gamzee said closing the door and walking back to his apartment. Since Gamzee wasn't tired anymore he looked for something to do to pass the time. Gamzee stepped into the living room and noticed a porn magazine thrown on the couch. Gamzee didn't want anything to do with that only because it probably has Kurloz all over it. Gamzee just decided to go onto his computer onto pesterchum and see if anyone was on. There was only one person on and it was someone that he met over a chatroom. That person's name was adiosTorador. Gamzee looked at the screen and started to type.

terminallyCapricious started pestering adiosTorador

TC: HeY, wHaT's Up?  
AT:uM, LIKE YOU KNOW THE SKY  
TC: TaVbRo We HaVe To MoThErFuCkIn MeEt  
TC: OnE DaY  
TC: ThEn We CaN lIkE pArTy AnD mOtHeRfUcKiN sTuFf  
AT: gAMZEE i WON'T BE DOING A LOT OF THAT  
AT: i GOT PUSHED DOWN A STAIR CASE SO i CAN'T WALK ANYMORE :(  
TC: WhO mOtHeRfUcKiNg PuShEd My BrO dOwN tHe StAiRs?  
AT: sOME GIRL NAMED vRISKA.  
AT: sHE THINKS THAT SHE IS BETTER THAN ME BECAUSE SHE IS SMARTER AND MORE POPULAR  
AT: sHE AIN'T A LOSER AND LONER LIKE i AM gAMZEE  
AT: wHAT EVER THE HELL SHE DOES SHE HAS AN AMAZING POINT TO DO IT. sO NOW I'M IN A WHEELCHAIR PARALIZED FROM HALFWAY DOWN MY THY AND DOWN. sO NOW I CAN'T DO ANYTHING  
TC: YoU kNoW wHaT tAvBrO?  
AT: wHAT  
TC: YoU aRe FuCkInG aMaZiNg  
AT: tHANKS gAMZEE  
TC: TaVBrO  
TC: YoU sHoUlD lIkE tElL hEr To StOp  
TC: AnD tHeN sHe WoN't TrY aNyMoRe  
AT: tHAT'S NOT HOW IT WORKS  
AT: i ALREADY TRIED THAT  
AT: sHE STILL BULLIES ME  
TC: WeLl TaVbRo WhY dOn'T yOu JuSt IgNoRe HeR  
AT: sHE WILL BEAT ME UP IF i IGNORE HER. tHAT IS WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME. sHE PUSHED ME DOWN STAIRS AND BROKE MY SPINE. aND ALSO i CAN'T AFFORD TO GET ANY PROSTHETICS  
TC: BrO iF wE eVeR mEeT i'M gEtTiNg YoU lEgS, tRuSt Me I kNoW a GuY  
AT: i HAVE TO GO  
AT: bYE  
TC: ByE mOtHeRfUcKeR

adiosTorador ceased pestering terminallyCapricious

Gamzee walked back into his bedroom and fell asleep on the uncomfortable mattress.


	2. ==>

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gamzee has been working at a strip club for a while. He decides that it is time to quit that job and go for a new one. But before he can work there he has to become clean. Karkat pushes him and pushes him to go to get help with his drug abuse. Karkat finally gets him to go and he starts trying to get better.

The next day Gamzee got up and he could smell the alcohol roaming in the air. Gamzee had looked through his closet several times looking for decent clothes. It took him about twenty minutes before the tall and skinny figure could find any nice clothes that were not torn or had stains on them. When Gamzee was done getting dressed he looked at himself in the mirror. He had to brush his hair and wash the smeared clown make up from off of his face. Gamzee took a wet cloth and brought it to his face. He scrubbed his face clean and looked at the three scars across his face. It has happened when he was little during his parents fighting. Gamzee washed the thoughts away and then looked around for his hair brush. After about another twenty minutes of looking he found it under his bed. Gamzee started to brush his long and ragged hair that was about to the middle of his small chest. Gamzee looked over himself one last time before he got breakfast from the fridge. Gamzee grabbed some Faygo and a cup of pudding. Gamzee ate the pudding and walked outside and started to drink the Faygo on his way to the daycare. Gamzee walked into the daycare. It was a crazy place. There was about thirty to forty children running around playing with each other. Gamzee walked up to a lady that he thought worked there. She was a short skinny woman with a cat hat on.  
"Excuse me?"  
"Yes sir?"  
"I'm here for my interview."  
"Oh you must be Mr. Makara?" the lady assumed.  
"Yes I am but you can call me Gamzee."  
"I am Nepeta. I am the manager. You can come with me for the interview."  
"Okay," Gamzee said following the lady into a room with no children running around playing in it. Nepeta sat down in a chair and so did Gamzee.  
"Gamzee, I just have to ask you some questions about yourself."  
"Okay."  
"First of all, do you have any experience with children?"  
"Well actually I do take care of my brother. He is kind of like a child."  
"Aww how old is he?"  
"He is actually two years older than me but he doesn't do anything right. I am the responsible one in the family."  
"Oh," Nepeta said awkwardly. "Are you on drugs?"  
"What?" Gamzee asked not hearing the question."  
"Are you on drugs? I am not allowed to hire anyone that is on drugs."  
"What about if I had taken drugs in the way past?"  
"Are you still on them?"  
"No, I was young and stupid," Gamzee said lying of course.  
"Then I can still hire you."  
"Okay then," Gamzee said smiling.  
"Have you worked anywhere in the past?"  
"No," Gamzee lied again. He couldn't tell her that he worked at a strip club. He wouldn't be able to work with kids at all.  
"Okay. Have you ever been accused of rape or pedophilia?"  
"Of course not. People that do that are sick fucks that deserve to die a painful long death. It's terrible what they do to kids. Oh and sorry about swearing. I really didn't mean it. It just that those kind of people get me really mad."  
"Oh okay. Don't worry about it. The last question is are you a discriminating person?"  
"No not at all. One of my best friends is in a wheel chair and the other one is insanely short."  
"Okay. I will call you to say if you got the job or not."  
"Okay but around when do you think you are going to call?  
"Probably on Saturday or Sunday."  
"Okay thank you for your time," Gamzee said standing up and walking home. Gamzee stopped by a gas station and got a sandwich and a can of Faygo. Gamzee sat down in one of the booths and started to eat. When he was done he started to walk home but then made a turn and started to walk to his park. The only people that were allowed in it were him and Kar. No one else. Well unless if him or Kar got a date which was probably impossible. Gamzee sat down on the swing that him and Kar made when they were little. All that it consisted of was a tree, a rope and a tire. Gamzee started to swing himself on the swing when he felt someone pushing him. Gamzee turned around and saw his short best friend in his all to famous turtle neck.  
"What are you looking at fuckass!" Karkat screamed at him.  
"What are you motherfucking doing here KK?"  
"I've been here! You walked right past me because you are a fuckass!"  
"Sorry Kar. My mind is on something different at the moment."  
"Like what!"  
"I have to quit. It's robbing my mind from me. And also I cannot work with the kids if I still smoke. Kar what the motherfucking fuck do I do? I need this job! I need to get away from Kurloz!"  
"Well I have to get a new apartment anyway so why don't we just move in together?"  
"Why do you have to get a new apartment?" Gamzee asked sadly. He didn't want his best bro to be out on the streets alone.  
"From the party last night. I guess the fuckass owner heard us or something and he found out that we had pot so he kicked me out."  
"Kar my brother we are going to get an apartment and it's going to be motherfucking miracles. But as of right now you can live in the apartment with Kurloz and I."  
"Okay, thanks you fuckass bastard."  
"Your welcome motherfucker," Gamzee said smiling at his short best friend. "C'mon we can go online and look for an apartment around here. But it has to be within walking distance of the daycare."  
"I don't get why you would want to play around all day with those little bastards."  
"They are actually really fun and adorable to talk to."  
"Yeah right more like they drool, piss, and shit themselves any chance the fuckasses get!"  
"Can you go a sentence without swearing or yelling?" Gamzee asked jokingly.  
"You know the fucking answer to that!" Karkat yelled at Gamzee. Gamzee and Karkat walked back to the apartment complex and into Gamzee's apartment. When they got up there the owner was looking pissed.  
"Where the hell is all my money?" he asked anger rising in his voice.  
"It's inside. I will get it right now," Gamzee assured the man. Karkat and Gamzee walked into the apartment. Karkat plopped down on the couch and Gamzee walked into his bedroom and got the chunk of money from the club. Gamzee walked back outside and handed the money over to the owner. "I think that this is more than enough for this months expenses. Probably enough to cover what we didn't pay last month and the month before that."  
"Thank you sir," the owner said waddling down the hall. Gamzee sat down next to Karkat and put his feet up on the coffee table that was feet away.  
"Karbro when do you have to be out of your apartment by?"  
"A fucking month. Why?"  
"Because I think that I am going to be moved out by then."  
"Okay."  
"Wanna watch a movie?"  
"Yeah how about Titanic?"  
"No. Any motherfucking thing but Titanic."  
"Okay then we will watch My Big Fat Greek Wedding."  
"Uhhhh," Gamzee sighed.  
"You said anything but fucking Titanic."  
"Fine."  
Karkat put the movie in. He sat back down next to Gamzee and started to watch the movie intensely. Even though he had seen this movie hundreds of times before. Gamzee sat down texting on his phone when the weirdest thought creeped into his head. Was Karkat gay? Is that why he liked all of these movies? Or did he just learn to like them because of a girlfriend? Gamzee was very tempted to ask but he decided not to. When the movie was over Karkat had fallen asleep against Gamzee's side. Karkat was holding the fabric on Gamzee's shirt not letting go. Gamzee unattached Karkat's hands from his shirt and walked into his bedroom changing quickly into a big t-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants with big gray dots placed randomly around his legs. Gamzee walked into the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror. There was holes from were he had taken his piercings out a couple of weeks ago. Gamzee had just decided that he grew out of them and to throw them away and let all of the holes go away by themselves. Gamzee put his thick black hair into a pony tail and walked back into the living room and sat back down next to where Karkat was. He shook Karkat to get him up.  
"Get up motherfucker!" Gamzee yelled into Karkat's pale face.  
"What fuckass!?" Karkat yelled back.  
"I'm bored brother. And I need you to help me make a decision."  
"About what fuckass." Karkat stated.  
"About getting sober. Like I need help from someone that doesn't do any of the motherfucking crap. Oh yeah and also I need to stop swearing all of the time. Karkat you have to help me with it! Please I will do anything if you help me!"  
"Gamzee calm the fuck down," Karkat said grabbing at Gamzee's shoulders. "We will get you through this. I'll take you to a therapist. I'll get money to pay for it. I promise. But for right now let me search the apartment for anything."  
"Okay," Gamzee said getting up and going to the fridge. He took out a plate of brownies and threw them away.  
"What was that for?"  
"They had weed in them. I couldn't keep them in the fridge. I'll throw the garbage out later."  
"Okay." Karkat started to look through out the small apartment. He found several bags of weed and a couple of already rolled joints. Karkat picked them all up and threw them in the garbage. Karkat got the garbage out of the bin and tied the top of it very tight. "Here, Gamzee did you want to take this out?"  
"Yeah sure," Gamzee said. Gamzee grabbed the bag and walked outside to put it in the big garbage outside. He placed the bag inside and let out a little bit of a cry. He knew that this was going to be his changing day. He needed it to be. He needed the job and he needed Karkat to help him.


	3. ==>

Gamzee walked back upstairs and smiled. He was going to get a healthy life. He walked into the apartment happily. He sat down on the couch and looked up at Karkat. Karkat was in the kitchen working on something.  
"What are you doing Kar?"  
"I'm just making dinner."  
"But it's only like two."  
"It takes a fucking while to cook Gamz."  
"Oh. What are you making?"  
"A fucking recipe that my mother taught me how to make. I don't fucking know what it's called."  
"Well what's in it motherfucker?"  
"Um it's some kind of beef in some fancy sauce that doesn't cost that much."  
"Oh okay?" Gamzee asked confused even though he wasn't searching for an answer at all.  
"Well yeah. We have had it before at my house when we were younger."  
"Oh. This is what your mom would always cook?"  
"Yeah."  
"You better not make it taste bad motherfucker. It was they only desent meal that I would ever have over the years."  
"I know Gamzee. I will try not to make this terrible for you. You know that I am taking a cooking class."  
"Oh yeah about that, are you like trying to be like a romantic sob or something?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Like are you taking some of the classes your taking because when you get a date you will be like all romantic for them or something? I think that when you get a girl she wouldn't want a really romantic guy. I think that she would want a guy that is a challenger."  
"So I cannot be a challenger and romantic at the sametime?"  
"Well I guess that you can."  
The two men just kept talking for hours and hours. When Karkat's dinner was ready he took it out of the oven and put it on the table for Gamzee and him to pig out on. Gamzee ate a little piece of it. But on the other hand Karkat was downing everything without any air needed. Gamzee watched him eat for about ten minutes until Karkat was totally done. Karkat was a little bit of a chubby guy himself only because he didn't get enough exercise as a kid and he ate alot of his mother's home made cooking. But Karkat being chubby looked good on him.  
BEEP BEEP BEEP  
Gamzee looked down at his phone and he noticed that he had a pester. Gamzee looked at the pester and sighed.

adiosToreador started pestering terminallyCapricious

AT: gAMZEE i HAVE TO TALK TO YOU RIGHT NOW.  
AT: gAMZ PLEASE ANSWER ME  
AT: i NEED YOUR HELP WITH SOMETHING  
TC: WhAt'S wRoNg?  
AT: tHE GIRL THAT i SAID PUSHED ME DOWN THE STAIRS IS NOW GOING TO BE MY STEP SISTER  
AT: gAMZ WHAT THE HELL DO I DO?  
TC: AlL yOu HaVe To Do Is TeLl HeR tHaT yOu DoN't LiKe WhAt ShE iS dOiNg  
AT: i ALREADY TOLD HER  
AT: sHE DOESN'T CARE AT ALL  
AT: i'M SCARED OF WHAT SHE IS GOING TO DO  
AT: sHE CAN KILL ME IF SHE REALLY WANTED TO  
TC: No ShE cOuLdN't  
TC: I tHiNk ThAt YoU aRe JuSt oVeRrEaCtInG  
AT: nO i'M NOT  
AT: i THINK THAT SHE MEANT FOR ME TO GET HURT  
AT: sHE ACTUALLY SHOVED ME DOWN A BUNCH OF STAIRS  
AT: wHO SHOVES SOMEONE DOWN LIKE 3 OR 4 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS  
TC: MaYbE sHe WaS iN a RuSh?  
AT: nO SHE WASN'T SHE LOOKED AT ME AND CALLED ME SOME BAD STUFF AND THEN PUSHED ME DOWN THE STAIRS  
TC: Oh I'm SoRrY tAv ThAt Is ThE oPoSiTe Of A mIrAcLe  
TC: WhEn We MeEt I'm GoInG tO tAkE yOu AwAy  
TC: So ShE cAn'T hUrT yOu  
TC: AnYmOrE  
AT: tHANKS gAMZEE  
AT: i HAVE TO GO BYE  
TC: ByE tAvRoS

adiosToreador ceased pestering terminallyCapricious

Gamzee put his phone down on the couch and looked up at Karkat. They had started to watch a movie that Gamzee wasn't interrested in. Gamzee fell asleep.  
The next morning Gamzee and Karkat woke up at the same time. They looked at each other and screamed. They were cuddling with Karkat ontop of Gamzee and their legs were tanged with each others. Karkat stood up and shook his head slightly.  
"I'm sorry Gamz."  
"I'm sorry to Karkat."  
"So um I'm just going to go upstairs then," Karkat said moving swiftly out the door and into his apartment.  
Gamzee watched him go out the door. Gamzee sat down and looked down at his hands. He didn't want to lose Karkat like this. Karkat was the only thing that he had.  
Days had passed. Gamzee had recieved a call but not from Karkat. From the daycare. Gamzee had gotten the job. Gamzee was happy with himself. He smiled when he found out. Gamzee would start to work in about two months on the down side though. The days had gotten worse and worse. Gamzee was starting to feel worse and worse everyday. When he went to work he would become a total sellout with his body. Gamzee had also taken up the habit of cutting himself and not eating anything for days. He had started to get skinnier and skinnier and totally covered in scars.  
One day he couldn't stand it anymore. He called Karkat.  
"What?"  
"Can I talk to you?"  
"Yeah sure I'll be over in like twenty minutes I had to move back in with my mom."  
"Okay. See ya soon then."  
"Okay bye."  
Gamzee waited about twenty minutes. There was a soft knock on the door and a whisper. Gamzee stood up and opened the door. Karkat stood at the door with a worried look on his face. He hugged Gamzee and whispered in his ear, "I missed you. Also I have to tell you somethings important."  
"Okay c'mon in."  
Karkat walked in and sat down on the couch. He looked up at Gamzee and then down at his feet.  
"What's wrong brother?"  
"Well for one thing is do you even fucking eat anymore? You look insanely skinny. And when I say that I mean that you have gotten skinnier since the last time that I saw you."  
"Um, I haven't really been eating. We don't really have any food in here at all. Also I don't have any money to buy anything either."  
"Oh. Gamzee let me see your stomach."  
"No."  
"Gamz, c'mon I want to see how skinny you got. I'm conserned."  
Gamzee looked into Karkat's big brown eyes. He was almost crying. His eyes also had a worried look in them. Gamzee looked at the hem of his shirt and lifted it up to his chest. Karkat's eyes grew bigger than they were before.  
"Gamzee what the fuck!? Are you serious? You don't eat and now your cutting!? What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Karkat screamed at him. Gamzee looked at Karkat and he started to cry his eyes out.  
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Don't yell at me again," Gamzee kept repeating. Karkat knew that he hated yelling. Karkat just gets out of control with his yelling a little bit. Gamzee looked up and he saw the scene again, his mother and father arguing. Gamzee and Kurlos huddled into the corner. Gamzee's mother walked out the door. His father looked at the boys and broke a vase. He aimed it at them and smiled a smile of a maniac. With one smack he felt the glass across his face and blood pooling down his face.  
"Gamzee! Stop it!" Karkat yelled at him. "I'm sorry for yelling," he said holding Gamzee's head in his lap and whispering. "I'm so sorry. It's just that sometimes I can't control it. You know that I have anger issues."  
"I know, Kar. I'm sorry about what just happened. I just can't control it."  
"Gamzee listen I want you to go to a therapist. I will pay for it. Well actually I will ask if my mom will pay for it. But we might have to have you go to a mental hospital to get over your drugs."  
"Really Kar?"  
"Gamzee I'm sure. If you get better fast then you can still work at the daycare on time. Just remember it for the kids."  
Gamzee looked up at Karkat. Karkat had a sincere look on his face. He knew that Gamzee would do anything for kids. Gamzee loved kids and he actually told Karkat that he wanted kids even if he had to adopt and be a single parent. He just loved them so much.  
"Did you want to tell me anything else Kar?"  
"Yeah actually, do you have any advice for someone who wants to date this amazing person except they are the same; the same; the same, uhh umm," Karkat couldn't get the words out, "gender?" Karkat whispered mostly to himself. Karkat knew that Gamzee was bisexual but he wasn't sure how he would react to Karkat being gay.  
"What was that?"  
"Gamz, I'm g-gay."  
"Motherfucking miracles, brother."  
"Do you have any advice. Like I don't even know if the guy is gay or not. But I want him to just love me."  
"Karbro, you know that not everyone is going to love you. But you should still try. Just tell him that you have feelings for them and ask them out. If they don't react good then just say sorry for your time and walk away. If they say yes than give them a hug because that would be miracles. If they need sometime than give them some motherfucking space just to let them think."  
"Okay thanks fuckass," Karkat said hugging Gamzee.  
"So who is the guy that you like?"  
"His name is John. But he is an ignorant fuckass. He can't get nothing right. Also he is so fucking cute and he is just amazing."  
"You seem like you have bi-polar disorder."  
"Gamzee I'm not Sollux."  
"I know."  
"Can you please come with me?"  
"Karbro, you know that I can't come with you. You are a big brother. You have to do this yourself."  
"But Gamzee please?"  
"I'm sorry but this is something that you have to do by yourself motherfucker."  
"Okay, but Gamzee I am going to take you to an institution so you can get better. I just want you to get better so I am going to bring you tomorrow morning."  
"Are you going to visit me?"  
"Yes."  
"How much?"  
"As much as I can."  
"Okay."  
"I gotta go, I'll see you tomorrow. And get a bag ready."  
"Okay."  
"Bye fucker."  
"Bye brother."  
Gamzee took a deep breath. He looked at his phone. He looked at pester. He noticed that Tavros was on and he smiled. Maybe he could cheer Gamzee up a little bit.

terminallyCapricious started pestering adiosToreador

TC: HeY  
AT: hEY WHAT'S UP  
TC: I'm GoInG tO a MeNtAl HoSpItAl ToMoRrOw  
AT: wHY  
AT: wHY WOUD YOU HAVE TO GO TO ONE  
TC: BeCaUsE i Am AdDiCtEd To WeEd  
TC: I dOn'T wAnT tO bE oN iT aNyMoRe BrOtHeR  
TC: I aM gOiNg To WoRk At A dAyCaRe  
TC: FoR lItTlE kIdS  
AT: aWW THATS SO CUTE  
AT: i'M HAPPY FOR YOU  
AT: iT'S GOOD THAT YOU WANT TO GET OFF OF DRUGS  
TC: ThAnKs  
TC: I jUsT dOn'T kNoW iF i CaN eVeN gO tHaT lOnG wItHoUt ThEm  
TC: BeCaUsE lAsT tImE bAd StUfF hApPeNeD  
AT: lIKE WHAT  
TC: It'S jUsT tHaT i WaNt To DiE  
TC: LaSt TiMe I sTaRtEd To CuT mYsElF  
AT: }:(  
TC: NeVeR cUt YoUrSeLf  
TC: It HuRtS a LoT  
TC: aNd A lOt Of PrObLeMs CoMe WiTh It  
AT: i KNOW GAMZEE IT'S NOT HEALTHY FOR YOU AND STUFF LIKE THAT,  
AT: tHEY TELL US ALL ABOUT IT IN SCHOOL AND CRAP LIKE THAT BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT WE MIGHT TRY TO SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A SPEAKER COME IN EVERY YEAR TO TALK ABOUT IT  
TC: OhH rEaLlY?  
TC: ThAt MuSt Be BoRiNg  
AT: yEAH IT IS  
AT: mY DAD IS YELLING AT ME TELLING ME THAT I HAVE TO GO BYE  
TC: ByE

adiosToreador ceased pestering terminallyCapricious


	4. ACT 2

Gamzee got up and he looked at the clock. It was 7. He had to get ready. Gamzee looked at his closet and threw in pajama pants and shirts that are way to big for him. Gamzee looked around for a brush and a toothbrush. When he found them he shoved everything in the bag and he walked to the kitchen and looked around for something to eat. The only thing that was left was some special brownies that Gamzee had made for Kurlos the night before. It couldn't be that bad eating one. Gamzee slid one down his throat and then two more. This was going to be the very last time. Gamzee knew this. He couldn't say that and then get another one later. He actually would have to go somewhere so he wouldn't eat anymore. Gamzee shoved the whole plate into his mouth and then he heard the doorbell ring. Gamzee got up and walked to the door. He opened it and looked at who was there. Karkat looked up at Gamzee and said,"Hey fuckass we need to go!"  
"Okay brother," Gamzee said lazily.  
"Gamz are you high right now?"  
"Maybe a little bit, hahahaha honk honk honk."  
"Gamzee let's just go right now," Karkat said grabbing Gamzee's bag and walking to his red car. Gamzee followed him and sat down in the front passengers seat while Karkat threw his bag in the back and sat down in the drivers seat. "Gamzee I thought that you promised that I wouldn't be doing anything like this?"  
"Karbro you don't understand how hard it is to do that. It is practically impossible."  
"Aren't you the person that says nothing is impossible as long as you have the mind set for it?"  
"Kar there are a motherfucking ton of miracle in the world. All I need is one and I will be fine." The rest of the car ride to the institution was quiet except for Karkat cursing at drivers that couldn't even hear him. Gamzee kept laughing at him and honking so Karkat would also start yelling at Gamzee for laughing at him saying stuff like, "It's not funny!" "Shut up you ignorant fuckass!"  
Karkat pulled his car into a parking spot and he got out of the car. Gamzee did too only to end up standing in front of the car and looking at the building infront of him. Gamzee had changed his mind he didn't want to go. He didn't want to change he loved himself. But he knew that he would have to change eventually. The sooner the better.  
Karkat started to walk into the building and Gamzee slowly followed behind him. Karkat walked up to the counter and started to talk to the man at the counter.  
"Hey I'm checking in my friend here."  
"What is his name?" the man asked.  
"His name is Gamzee Makara."  
"Why is he here for?"  
"Well, Jake, he is a druggie. He is a fuckass that get high all of the time. He doesn't think that he has a problem but I know that the fucking addict does."  
"Okay then. Is that him right there?"  
"Yeah."  
"Why does he look like he is out of Insane Clown Posse?"  
"It's the fuckass' favorite band. He thinks that he has to look like them to be a fan or something. Also he has," Karkat lowered his voice, "scars."  
"Why are you whispering sir?"  
"He doesn't like it when you mention it."  
"Okay then. Mr. Makara is in room 1224."  
"Okay thanks."  
"This is Dr. Strider. He will show you to your room."  
"Gamzee let's go."  
Gamzee looked at Karkat and stood up. He walked with Karkat and the doctor to his room. It was on the 2nd floor. There was many rooms in the whole entire building. Many doctors were there walking back and forth. When they got to Gamzee's room Gamzee stepped in and looked around. The room was all white with a bed and a cabinet.  
"We will have to look threw your bag Makara," Dr. Strider said.  
"Why?" Gamzee asked.  
"We have to make sure that you didn't take any drugs or anything that can harm you or other people around you."  
"Oh. Do I have to wear the same clothes as you do?"  
"No you can wear what ever you like."  
"Good because those clothes look terrible."  
"I wouldn't say that. Makara I'm your nurse so I wouldn't be so mean and annoying to me. We are going to have to get along somehow."  
"Ok well I have to get going bye Gamzee."  
"Karkat! You're leaving me?"  
"Yeah Gamzee. I'll come visit you as much as I can."  
"Okay." Karkat walked out the door and left Gamzee alone with Strider.  
"What is your name?"  
"Dr. Strider or nurse Strider."  
"What is your first name?"  
"Just call me nurse Strider."  
"Blondie tell me your name."  
"Dave."  
"Okay then Dave. I'm Gamzee Makara."  
"Call me nurse Strider."  
"I like Dave better."  
"Are you really trying to get on my nerves right now?"  
"No."  
"Well you have to go to the doctor. Right now. Let's go."  
"Alright."  
Dave walked out of the room and Gamzee followed him. Dave led Gamzee to a room and the top floor and set him down in it. He read the door. It said Doc Scratch. Gamzee looked around. The room was green and white everywhere. He looked at the chair that he was set down in. It was all a dark green color with what felt like a satin outer covering. Gamzee cuddled into the chair and looked up at the ceiling.  
"Are you Gamzee Makara?"  
"Yes."  
"Do you know why you are here?"  
"Yeah. I love weed. Got addicted."  
"Well it's good that you know that."  
"What do you mean?"  
"So you can change yourself. You know that you have a problem and you know that you can finish it."  
Gamzee was silent.  
"Well we are going to have to take some tests on you. Don't worry though it will only take a couple minutes," Doc Scratch said as he walked to a cabinet and got out a needle. He put it in Gamzee's arm and took blood out of Gamzee's arm. He took it out of Gamzee's arm and then gave Gamzee a cup saying, "Go to the bathroom and pee in this."  
"Nurse Strider can you take him to the bathroom?"  
"Yes Doc Scratch."  
Dave walked Gamzee to the bathroom. Gamzee peed in the cup and gave it to Dave. Dave held it far away from him and gave it to Doc Scratch.  
They both walked downstairs and into a big room filled with about eight chairs. Gamzee sat down in a chair and looked at Dave. He looked back at Gamzee and said, "You have to listen to this. You don't have to ask questions; all you have to do is listen."  
A short lady with blonde hair walked in and looked around. She sat down muttering words in protest as the big man put her in her chair. A few moments later a women that looked almost the same just with a curls in her hair instead of straight hair sat down next to her and so did her nurse. Minutes later Equius and a little guy came walking in. The big man sat down where the little man told him to and he sat down next to him. Equius spotted Gamzee and started to sweat. Gamzee looked at Equius; why was he here? What is wrong with him? What did he do? What does he do? Gamzee knew what Gamzee does or did. But why doesn't he know what Equius did? After sitting looking at each other Gamzee knew what this was, a social group. He had tried them in the past and they have never worked. Everytime he tried everyone got better except him which made him mad and crave the green drug that put him in here. After looking at each other for a few more moments another man walked in without anybody else. He stood in the middle of the circle of chairs and looked around. He looked alot like Dave except for spiked hair instead of flatted down hair.  
"Hello everyone. I am your instructor. I am Dirk Strider and I can help you with whatever you need. You need a friend. I be there. You need a talk with someone you can come to me."  
"Why are we here?" the big guy asked.  
"We are going to be a group and we are going to stay as a group."  
Gamzee stayed silent he didn't want to be here. "Who are you sir?" Everybody was looking at Gamzee. Gamzee looked at everyone else and said, "Gamzee mothafuckin Makara. Nice to meet you sir," he said as he started to laugh.  
"Hello Gamzee," everyone said annoyed.  
"I'm Equius Zahhak," the big man said.  
"I'm Rose Ladonde," the blonde with straight hair said.  
"I'm Roxy Ladonde," the blonde with curly hair said.  
Gamzee sat in his chair and looked around the room not wanting to pay attention to anybody. He looked up at Dave with a please get me out of here look. Dave looked back with a stern look. He wasn't going to get Gamzee out of here. Gamzee looked at what the people were doing around him. Dirk was talking and everybody looked as if they wanted to do something else. Gamzee felt the same way. "You sir! Why are you here?" Dirk yelled pointing to Equius.  
"I'm addicted to steroids." Equius was addicted to steroids? Since when? But that does explain his size and shape. Gamzee just thought that he just worked out a lot more than anybody else he knew.  
"What about you?" he said pointing to Rose.  
"Alcohol addiction."  
"You?" he said looking at Gamzee.  
"Drugs."  
"What kind of drugs?"  
"Weed."  
"And what about you?" he said pointing to Roxy.  
"Addicted to alcohol."  
"See? This is what I was talking about. You guys can get over your addictions together if you just listen to one another."  
Gamzee looked at Dirk and then back at Dave. Then at Dirk. Then at Dave. There was something very familiar in both of them. They looked almost identical. Gamzee kept staring between the two for a couple more moments until he realized something, Dirk said that his last name was Strider. Dave's last name is Strider. They must be brothers or twins or at least part of the same family somehow.


	5. ==>

Dave and Gamzee walked outside and to the garden. Gamzee looked down at Dave and then he looked around as Dave gave him a smile. Gamzee walked onto the bridge and smiled. He looked at himself in the water until he noticed something. There was money at the bottom of the small lake. Gamzee walked off the bridge and to the side of the pool of water. He reached his hand down and picked up a penny that had gotten thrown in there. Then he looked at Dave who was standing next to him. Gamzee reached up and gave the penny to Dave and asked, "Is this a lake of miracles?"  
"I guess so," Dave said smiling.  
"Do you have any change?" Gamzee asked taking the 1 cent piece and throwing it in the water.  
"Um I might have something," Dave said as he looked threw his pockets for something to give to the man standing in front of him. Dave found a couple of coins and gave them to Gamzee. Gamzee looked at them and took one and gave the rest back to Dave. Gamzee walked back up to the bridge and looked down. He whispered into the coin, "I wish that I coud get better fast." He kissed the coin and threw it into the water. He walked away and looked to Dave. He smiled and asked, "What are we doing out here?"  
"I thought that you would need some fresh air."  
"Oh; thanks," Gamzee said smiling. "What do we have to do later?"  
"You have group today and that is it. But tomorrow you have to go to the therapist and group. I don't think that you have to go to the doctor though. It didn't look like you liked him to much."  
"Well he actually just assumed everything. And when you assume you make an ass out of yourself."  
"What do you mean by that?"  
"Well he actually just said yeah you know that this is bad. You should change. You know you know how to change. You know better. Well maybe I don't know better. Maybe I can't change by myself. That's why I am here right?"  
"Well you can be here for many different things. But I think that your's is to help you stay off of weed and drugs for good. Not to help speed up the process or anything like that. You can just be here to help yourself and no one else. Who are you here for anyway?"  
"I don't know. Kar maybe? Maybe the children that I am going to watch? Maybe myself?"  
"Don't you want to change yourself? Ya know get on the right path?"  
"Yeah I know."  
"I honestly think that you are doing this for yourself not the people around you. That's actually the best thing. You don't let anyone change you. You just let yourself change you."  
"It's just that I need that job. So if I don't do anything like this then I can get the job no problems. If I can't then well I don't know what to do. I'm going to have to live with my brother and work at the terrible job. I can't keep working there. What if someone I know finds out? What if someone I love finds out? It can't be that good to live like that. I know that it can't."  
"Gamzee? What are you talking about? What do you mean you don't want to go back to your job?"  
"It was terrible. I was um," Gamzee thought that he better get it out or just leave the sentence like that.  
"It's fine you don't have to tell me what you did or anything like that if you are uncomfortable with it."  
"It was just bad and I think it was maybe illegal? I don't know at all though. I should just leave it at that."  
"Gamzee it's fine if you want to leave it at that. I don't have to know everything about you and you don't have to know everything about me. Everyone has something that they regret everyday. Ya get what I'm saying?"  
"Yeah I guess so."  
"Do you want to do anything today before group? We have about an hour to kill before then."  
"Can I go on the computer?"  
"Um yeah sure what are you going to do play games or something?"  
"I want to talk to one of my internet friends. He is actually one of my best friends that has helped me with problems and I have helped him with his."  
"Oh, yeah then I guess that we can go to the computer room for a little while," Dave said walking away. Gamzee looked at started to follow him. When they got to the computer room Gamzee walked to a free computer and went to pesterchum. Dave was looking over his shoulder the whole time and said, "Just to let you know the hospital can looks at the stuff that you do."  
"Okay."  
Gamzee logged onto pesterchum and looked for Tavros' chumhandle. When he found it he was happy to find out that he was online.

terminallyCapricious started pestering adiosTorador

TC: HEY TAVBRO  
AT: oH, HEY GAMZEE  
TC: whats up  
AT: sITTING AT HOME, YA KNOW THE SAME OLD SAME OLD,,  
AT: wHAT ABOUT YOU?  
TC: IN A MENTAL HOSPITAL  
AT: wHY? dID YOU DO SOMETHING WRONG?  
TC: i just want to be clean i want the addiction gone for good  
AT: oH THAT IS A GOOD THING  
AT: pLEASE TELL ME YOU AREN'T CUTTING YOURSELF NO MORE  
TC: TAVBRO I PROMISE YOU THAT I WON'T  
AT: oKAY GOOD  
TC: is that vriska chick still annoying you  
AT: yEAH AND SHE LIVES IN THE SAME HOUSE AS ME NOW  
AT: mY DAD IS GETTING MARRIED TO HER MOM NEXT WEEK  
TC: MAYBE SHE WILL CHANGE  
TC: but anyway weddings are full of miracles

"Gamzee you have like 10 more minutes," Dave warned Gamzee.  
"Okay thanks Davebro."

AT: yEAH I HEAR THAT WEDDINGS MEAN NEW BEGINNINGS  
TC: ARE YOU IN THE WEDDING TAVBRO?  
AT: yEAH I'M THE BEST MAN  
TC: do you have to wear a cute little tux  
AT: yEAH ACTUALLY AND MY STEP MOM TOLD ME THAT SHE IS GOING TO DECORATE MY WHEELCHAIR FOR THE WEDDING  
TC: I BET THAT YOU ARE GOING TO LOOK ADORABLE TAVBRO

"He's in a wheelchair? What happened to him?" Dave asked.  
"Shh I tell you later."

AT: uH THANKS GAMZEE  
TC: WELCOME TAVBRO  
TC: well i gotta go now  
TC: TALK TO YOU SOON MOTHERFUCKER  
TC: tell your parents i said happy wedding  
AT: oKAY I WILL BYE GAMZEE

terminallyCapricious ceased pestering adiosTorador

"So why is he in a wheelchair?" Dave asked Gamzee.  
Gamzee paused for a moment recollecting his thoughts and thinking about what Dave had just asked him, "His step-sister pushed him down stairs and now he is paralyzed from the waist down."  
"His sister sounds like she needs help."  
"He just says that she didn't mean to make him paralyzed."  
"But she sounds like that she belongs here too."  
"He doesn't think so, Dave!" Gamzee said yelling at him.  
"Okay, calm down," Dave said placing his hand on Gamzee's arm.  
"Whatever he wants to do with her is up to him."  
"I get it," Dave said. "Let's go to group; how bout that?"  
"Okay, let's go then motherfucker."  
Gamzee and Dave walked to the building where Gamzee had met his group of people that are supposed to be helping him. Gamzee sat down at a bar looking thing. But of course there was not any alcohol products in there. Gamzee started to spin in the chair not caring about what happened.  
"Do you want anything to drink?"  
"Do you have any Faygo in there?"  
"Um, maybe let me check," Dave said running behind the counter. He walked over to the fridge and looked inside. "What kind of Faygo do you like?"  
"Grape," Gamzee said trying to look into the fridge.  
"Yeah, here," Dave said handing him a glass and pouring some in it. Gamzee drank some and smiled.  
"I haven't had any in so long," Gamzee said, "Where is everybody else?"  
"It doesn't start for about 10 more minutes."  
"Did you here anything from my bro, Karkat?"  
"John might have but I never did," Dave said shrugging his shoulders.  
"He told me that he would come visit me as much as I can."  
"Well maybe John is just trying to set up a day for him to come."  
"Wait, who is John? I thought that the guy at the counter is named Jake?"  
"John and Jake are cousins. They both work at the counter."  
"I think that Karkat has a crush on John."  
"Oh really now?"  
"Yeah the night before he brought me here he told me that he liked someone named John that doesn't do anything right, but he is adorable and really cute; in Karkat's words anyway."  
"Haha, it sounds like how most people describe John."  
"What do you mean most people? That doesn't sound very nice."  
"Well John is very clumsy and he isn't the brightest person that you will meet, but he is I guess really adorable to girls and some guys that are gay. The only thing that sucks for the girls is that he is gay and he is never changing and turning straight."  
"Really? Do you think that Karbro you have a chance with him?"  
"I think that he would, I have never really heard John talk about him but he is always talking to his sister about guys that he likes but she won't tell me shit. Even though we are dating. I think that he is afraid that I will judge him or something."  
"Why would you judge him if he is your best friend?"  
"Well he used to always say that he was not a homosexual but now I think that he thinks that I think that he is a hypocrite. You follow?"  
"Kinda but I still don't totally understand it."  
"Well some people are just that confusing," Dave said as he took a sip of apple juice.  
"But if you are his best friend he is supposed to trust you and care for you and you do the exact same. You treat each other the same. That's what Karkat and I do. I works pretty good for us. When he motherfucking all up and told me that he was crushing on John, I didn't make fun of him. He had been saying that he wasn't gay for years and years. Repeatedly, just over and over. You stay bros, ya motherfucking know."  
"Yeah, I get but maybe I'll just ask Jade to tell me if he ever talks about Karkat."  
"Who is Jade?"  
"Jade is John's sister."  
"Oh," Gamzee said drinking the rest of his Faygo, "When is everyone supposed to be here?"  
"They were supposed to be here 10 minutes ago," Dave said getting his phone and checking the time. "Maybe they are just running late."  
"I don't know would there nurses let them be late?"  
"Maybe we are just in the wrong place," Dave said dialing a number on his phone and holding the machine to his ear. He started to talk and shook his head no. He hung up the phone and looked at Gamzee.  
"Well I fucked up Makara. You don't have anything today. But you do need lunch," Dave said looking at Gamzee. "It looks like you need it."  
They walked into the main building and went into the elevator pushing the button to go downstairs. The doors opened and Gamzee and Dave walked out and into the cafeteria. They got the food and sat down at a table. Gamzee looked at the food and poked at it a couple of time before he took a bite. It wasn't nearly as good as Karkat's but it was at least edible. Gamzee had eaten about half of his plate by the time that Dave was done.  
"So Gamzee, I probably should have told you this earlier but Jake said that Karkat is coming in later. At around 4."  
"He is! Yay! What are we going to motherfucking do?"  
"I don't know actually. That is up to you," Dave said, "But I have to come with you guys and stuff just to make sure that he doesn't break you out or something like that."  
"Okay I'm okay with that, but can we ask Jade about John? I want to help Karkat."  
"I don't think that Jade is working right now actually. I think that she might be tomorrow."  
"Hey, Dave, what will happen when I leave?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Will we still be bros?"  
"Yeah I think that we will be anyway."


	6. ==>

Gamzee and Dave walked around the building. Dave asked several times where Gamzee wanted to go and what he wanted to do before Karkat came. They had been walking for an hour before Gamzee said that he wanted to draw and paint a picture. Dave brought Gamzee to the activity room and brought him over paints, pencils, paper, and paint brushes. Gamzee took them from Dave and also asked for a cup with water in it and a couple paper towels. Dave came back and handed them to Gamzee. He sat down at the table across from where Gamzee was.  
"What are you going to do?"  
"I am going to draw this character that I made up," Gamzee said drawing some rough copy lines on the paper infront of him.  
"What does the character look like?"  
"Well he is a cherub, so he is green, has spirals on his cheeks like Saw, and has really high cheek bones. His name is Caliborn."  
"Interesting, how long have you made up the character?"  
"A couple years ago. I got bored and started to draw. But I think that I want to make a girl for him. I don't know if I should make her his enemy or his love."  
"Why not both?"  
"I didn't think of that." Gamzee kept at his drawing clearly not wanting to be bothered. He was drawing and painting for a couple hours. When he finished he looked at Dave and asked, "Where do I put this?"  
Dave looked at the picture and froze. It was one of the best paintings he had ever seen. There was two characters. One that was exactly how Gamzee described it; green, skeleton looking, with red spirals that did look like Saw. But he also had a robotic leg and he was wearing a red bow tie and ripped skinny jeans. He also had frog like feet and his hands ended in claws. The character that was chained to the character Dave was guessing was Caliborn looked almost exactly the same except instead of red spirals they had neon green spirals, a neon green blouse, and regular skinny jeans that are black and not ripped up at all. "Who is the other one?"  
"Her name is Calliope she is like his soulmate but they get chained together and when one is up the other is asleep and the same way the other way around."  
"Well that is interesting. It's different I like it."  
"Thanks. But is there really any place I can put this? I don't want anyone to ruin it."  
"I guess that I could take it to my room to let it dry and when you leave I can give it back to you."  
"Okay, I can live with that," Gamzee said handing the painting over to Dave. "What time is it?"  
"It is almost 2:30."  
"So what can we do for like an hour and a half?"  
"I guess that we could play some games."  
"Like what?"  
"Like ping pong or fuseball."  
"I guess that I could play ping pong."  
"Then let's go play," Dave said as they both stood up and walked to the ping pong table. Dave got a key and unlocked a little box next to the table. He took out two paddles and a ball. He handed the ball and a paddle to Gamzee. Gamzee walked to the other side of the table and hit the ball to Dave. Dave did the same to Gamzee until they had a little pattern going. Gamzee ended up winning 25-22. Gamzee smiled and he got really happy and started to dance around. Dave looked at Gamzee and shook his head. He grabbed Gamzee by the shoulder. "You might want to calm down a little bit. If you get too excited they will say that you aren't getting to much better. And trust me you won't want that."  
"Okay," Gamzee said getting saddened that they won't let him be his usually happy and cheery self. "What time is it now?"  
"It is almost 4. Wow I can't believe we have been playing this for over an hour."  
"Wow, where are we meeting Karbro?"  
"I think that they are going to bring him to a special room and we are going to have to go there when they say that he is here."  
"A special room?"  
"Uh yeah, it is for if you are meeting with someone that doesn't work here or being helped here."  
"So everytime Karkat is here we have to go into that room?"  
"Yeah. It just is that they are trying to keep you safe."  
"Okay, I know that I have pestered you about this earlier but I want you to talk to John about Karkat before Karkat even comes here. Just that I think that he might like him too."  
"I already told you that I don't think that Jade is working today. Jade would tell me."  
"But why don't we go see?"  
"Because I'm not allowed to bring you into the lobby."  
"Why not? That isn't fair."  
"They think that you could run away."  
"Well I wouldn't. I promised Karkat and I don't break promises."  
"I'll just call the front office and ask if she is there."  
"Why didn't you do that before?"  
"I didn't think about it okay?"  
"Okay," Gamzee said watching Dave take a phone out and call the front office.  
"Hey is Jade there?....... Yeah..... I need to talk to her.......... Hey Jade...... I wanted to know if John liked Karkat.......... He does? Why not?.............. Well can you please tell me........ He is just a friend of a friend.......... Okay....... Really? That's great.......... Don't worry I won't but is it okay if I tell Karkat?...... Okay good, I just want to see him happy. Okay bye....."  
"So does he?"  
"Yes he does! Jade said that he loves him!"  
"So can we tell Karkat?"  
"Yes of course we can!"  
"Okay, good! He will be here any minute right?"  
"Yes, any minute he should be here," Dave said looking at his watch.  
"Okay!" Gamzee yelled standing up. He walked out of the room with Dave following him. Gamzee walked around for about five minutes and turned and looked at Dave, "Where are we going?"  
"I don't know, we have time to kill I guess."  
Dave's phone started to ring.  
"Hello?... I'll tell him... Thanks...... Bye," he looked up at Gamzee.  
"Karkat is here I guess."  
"Okay! I get to see him then!"  
"C'mon the sent him to that place that I was telling you about."  
"Okay," Gamzee said as he followed Dave to the room. The room was pretty big and it had a TV, another ping pong table, a pool table, some sort of video game, and a round table. "This room is all motherfucking fancy isn't it?"  
"Compared to the other rooms I guess so."  
"Let go of me!" They heard someone yell as the door opened. Gamzee turned around seeing Karkat and smiled running over to hug him. He jumped over onto him and gave him a bear hug. "I love you bro! I missed you so much!"  
"I missed you too Gamzee!"  
"How is everyone?"  
"Uh, Kurloz well he is mad. He is going to kill you when you get out. And he has been trying to get with Kankri again. Kankri won't let him, but you are really the only one that can tell him that he can't do that. He won't listen to anyone else."  
"Karkat did you know that Equius was in here?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"He is in this place."  
"He is in here for let me guess, steriods?"  
"How did you know?"  
"Look at him, he is like eight times the size of me!"  
"Good point but anyway, is Kurloz okay without any of the stuff for like a day or two?"  
"I'm honestly not positive. He seems like he is a little bit different but I don't know him that well to be sure about that."  
Karkat looked at his phone as he got a message.

Kankri [KANKRI] started pestering carcinoGeneticist.

[KANKRI]: Karkat please c9me h9me n9w. Kurl9z is g9ing crazy and I d9n't kn9w what he will do next.  
CG: WHY DO I NEED TO COME THE FUCK HOME. HANDLE THAT INSANE LIVING FUCKING SKELETON BY YOURSELF! YOU DON'T NEED MY HELP ON THAT FUCKING PENIS SUCKING, VAGINA LICKING, CREEP MAKARA!  
[KANKRI]: Karkat, please st9p with the language. It can 6e very triggering. Als9 he is trying to get me t9 d9 stuff that I am insanely against.  
CG: I AM VISITING WITH GAMZEE RIGHT NOW I WILL BE THERE IN LIKE AN HOUR AND A HALF.  
[KANKRI] :N9 I need you right now. He is trying t9 have (trigger warning) sex with me. #sex  
CG: YOU HAVE TO BE FUCKING WITH ME!  
[KANKRI]: I'm n9t.  
CG:FINE I WILL COME HOME IN 10 MINUTES.

carcinoGeneticist ceased pestering Kankri [KANKRI].

"Gamzee I can't stay for that long. Kankri and Kurloz are fighting or something."  
"Oh, bro, I'm sorry about Kurloz. He is just probably upset. Maybe he should come here!" Gamzee raised his hands in the air excitedly. "There was also something else that I wanted to tell you but I can't remember it," he looked over to Dave, "Dave do you remember what I had to tell Karkat?"  
"Yeah you had to tell him about John."  
"Oh yeah," Gamzee smiled and turned back to Karkat.  
"What?" Karkat's face went soft as he heard John's name.  
"John has a crush on you and I know that you have a crush on him too, well because for one, you told me and two, you have the biggest blush on your face right now."  
"Oh, well yeah I do but I don't know what to say."  
"Well bro, now you know that he likes you, you can make a move or some miraculous shit."  
"Okay, and that lady from the daycare called, she said that if it is okay with you, you can start working there next month instead of September."  
"Well I don't know how long I will be in her bro. Tell her that I'm not positive if I can work then. Tell her that I would rather start in September."  
"Okay will do," he said looking up at Gamzee. "Do you want to play pool or something?"  
"Sure," Gamzee walked over to the pool table getting out the sticks and the triangle stencil. He put the balls in the right order and gave Karkat the cue ball and a stick.  
"Dave do you wanna play?"  
"Sure, why not?" Dave said grabbing another stick and the chalk. He put the chalk on the top of his stick while Karkat hit the cue ball and broke the triangle of spheres. Two balls dropped in, both having solid coloring on them.  
"Go again motherfucker," Gamzee said rubbing Karkat head. Karkat moved out of Gamzee's grip before saying, "1 corner pocket." He hit the white ball which hit the yellow one with a black number 1 on it. The ball went into the pocket.  
"You go again brother!"  
Karkat looked for the two ball. He saw that there was balls all around it so he just said, "Two middle pocket." He hit the ball and none of them went into a pocket.  
"Your turn Dave," Gamzee said looking at Dave.  
"Okay," Dave said hitting the cue ball and making the blue number two fall into a pocket. He did the same with the red number three ball. He did however, miss the orange 5 ball.  
"My turn, motherfuckers." Gamzee hit in the five ball, the green six, skipped over the eight and hit in the stripped yellow nine. He missed the 10 and looked at Karkat. "Your motherfucking turn bro."  
Karkat looked over and hit the 10, 11, 12 and 13 into sockets. Dave went and hit the 14 and 15. Gamzee went again and hit the eight into the pocket making him win. Gamzee cheered and cheered. He looked at Dave and Karkat while smiling. Dave looked back at him with a poker face while Karkat looked at him mad. Karkat hated to lose especially to Gamzee. Karkat looked at Gamzee and said goodbye to him. "I have to go, Kankri needs me right now. I'll come see you soon."  
Gamzee looked down sad, "Okay bro, I'll miss you."  
Karkat gave Gamzee a hug and kissed his cheek. Gamzee kissed Karkat's head. Karkat disappeared through the door. Gamzee waved at the door for a couple minutes even after Karkat left.  
Dave walked up behind Gamzee, "You okay man?"  
"Yeah I'm motherfucking fine."  
"You sure?"  
"Yeah it's just I'm not even in the same place as my brother and he is still ruining my life."  
"I'm sure he doesn't mean it."  
"He is also ruining Kar's bro's life too. He never liked him. He always thought of him as a sex toy even though he wears a purity ring and everything."  
"So he rapes him?"  
"No he just messes around with him, bothers him, and makes him feel uncomfortable."  
"So he is like a bully?"  
"I guess you could call it that."  
"Do you wanna go get dinner?"  
"Nah, I'm not really that hungry Dave."  
"Well you can come and get a drink, I'm a little bit hungry and want a bite."  
"Okay," Gamzee said following Dave out of the room and down to the cafeteria. Dave ordered some fries and a fancy kind of juice called Naked. Gamzee thought it was funny and he started to giggle. Gamzee just ordered a water in hopes to get Dave to stop telling him that he has to get something. They sat down at a table, Dave started to eat. Gamzee watched him and sipped his water.  
"Dave can I go on the computer?"  
"Sure, and Gamzee?"  
"What?"  
"When you get almost better they let you do different out door activities, like boating, fishing, archery, or just cutting logs."  
"Okay, honestly none of those sound too interesting to me."  
"I didn't think that they really would."  
"Is there anything else to do?"  
"Let's not worry about that right now. Let's worry about your rehabilitation."  
"Okay, based on knowing me for a little bit how long do you think I am going to be in here for?"  
"Well Gamzee, even the people that get well fast are in here for at least a month."  
"Okay, I can stay here for a month or two, but not anymore than that."  
"Oh?"  
"I'm working at a daycare. Well I am going to start to work at a daycare anyway."  
"You like kids?"  
"Love 'em motherfuckers."  
"You know you can't swear in front of them right?"  
"I know, I am going to try really hard."  
"We can make that part of your rehabilitation."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Every time you swear you lose 5 minutes of computer privilages."  
"That's not fair!"  
"Yes it is, it will stop you from swearing all together. It should anyway."  
"And if it doesn't?"  
"You don't get to talk to that Tavros guy anymore."  
"Okay. I will try to stop then."  
"Good, it will start right now then."  
"Okay," Gamzee reached his hand out for Dave to shake it. Dave shook it and added, "No messaging swears either, that will be 10 minutes."  
"Okay, Mr. Strider."  
Dave finished eating and took Gamzee up to the activities room. Gamzee walked over to the computers and logged into Pesterchum. He looked to see if Tavros was on and he was.

terminallyCapricious started pestering adiosToreador.

TC: what's up, tav?  
AT: hEY gAMZEE,,  
AT: wHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR QUIRK?  
TC: I CHANGED IT.  
TC: new me  
TC: NEW STYLE OF TYPING  
AT: i SEE,, aRE YOU HAVING ANY FUN?  
TC: well i have a new friend now  
TC: BECAUSE KARKAT ISN'T EVEN HERE RIGHT NOW  
TC: brother ruined kar coming here anymore  
TC: QUITE A SHAME IF I SAY SO MYSELF.  
AT: i'M SORRY ABOUT YOUR BROTHER gAMZEE.  
TC: it's not your fault brother  
TC: KURLOZ WAS BEING A MOTHER  
TC: and he is a lot to deal with  
AT: iS SOMETHING WRONG? yOU USUALLY WOULD HAVE SAID MOTHERFUCKER, nOT MOTHER,,  
TC: MR. DAVE SAID NO SWEARING OR 10 MINUTES GO AWAY  
AT: 10 MINUTES OF WHAT?  
TC: computer time  
TC: SO THAT MEANS NO TALKING TO YOU :o(  
AT: oH, i WON'T TRY TO PROVOKE YOU THEN,,,  
TC: it's okay to be yourself bro.

"Gamzee did you swear?"  
"No."  
"Why does it say motherf'er?"  
"Because Tavros wrote it."  
"I thought you said he doesn't like to swear?"  
"He doesn't. He was just wondering why I didn't say it. I just said mother."  
"Okay, good job Gamzee."  
"How much time do I have left?"  
"Like 5 or 10 minutes."  
"Okay, so not that much time. What are we doing after this?"  
"We are going to some movie, all I know is that it is a kids movie that just came out on DVD."  
"Okay, I love kids movies anyway."  
"Okay good."

TC: TAVROS! I GET TO WATCH SOME LITTLE KIDS MOVIE.  
TC: i have no idea what movie it actually is.  
TC: DAVE SAYS THAT IT IS SOME LITTLE KID'S MOVIE BUT HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY OTHER DETAILS.  
AT: oH, tHAT'S COOL  
AT: iT WOULD BE COOL IF IT WAS pETER pAN!  
TC: i know you love that movie bro  
TC: IT JUST HAVE SO MANY MIRACLES IN IT.  
TC: it probably does because you like it so much.

"Why do you flirt with him?"  
"Shh."  
"Why though?"  
"Because he is cute. I am just stating facts."  
"That's creepy. How old is he?"  
"Uh, 17 or 18?"  
"Ask him right now how old he is."  
"Fine."

TC: DAVE WANTS TO KNOW HOW OLD YOU ARE  
AT: i'M 18 IN LIKE 3 MONTHS

"See Dave, he is almost legal."  
"Whatever Gamzee, if you get caught don't bring me into it."  
"Dave?"  
"What?"  
"You have a soft spot for me don't you?"  
"Yeah I do but log off. It's time to go to the movie."  
"Okay."

TC: i have to go watch the movie now. :o(  
TC: I'LL TALK TO YOU NEXT TIME I GET A COMPUTER.  
AT: oKAY, bYE BYE gAMZEE }:(  
TC: bye bye

terminallyCapricious ceased pestering adiosToreador.

Gamzee looked at the computer. He logged out of Pesterchum and stood up. Dave looked at him and brought him to the park outside. They both sat down, Gamzee against a tree and Dave on a rock. They waited for the movie to start. The title played on the screen, Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2.  
"I hate this movie," Gamzee told Dave.  
"Why?"  
"It's stupid. Karkat and I saw it in the movie theater."  
"Oh."  
"It wasn't good then, it won't be good now."  
Gamzee looked ahead at the screen barely paying attention to it. When it was over he yawned and Dave said it was time to go to bed. Gamzee smiled and walked with Dave to his room. Dave let Gamzee get situated before closing the door and locking it. Gamzee fell asleep in his night clothes almost immediately.


End file.
